‘The Flash’ Season 9 Episode 8: Recap & Ending Explained

CW’s The Flash got to its eighth episode of season nine, and it’s quite entertaining. In the previous episode, titled “Wildest Dreams,” we saw Dreamer/Nia Nal making a cameo and going on a journey with Iris, whom she helped realize her potential as a journalist. Trapped in a “Dreamland,” Team Flash try to save their friends as fast as possible, and they succeed.

In “Partners in Time,” we see Iris and Barry figure out their feelings about pregnancy and family life, and Allegra and Chester realize their true feelings for each other. STAR Labs undergoes a mold inspection that will turn into a time-reality problem. Beware of spoilers for the recap of the newest episode of Flash, and if you are interested in our analysis, stay with us until the end.

The year 2123

The first scene of the episode brings us to the future, specifically, the year 2123, where the mysterious figure infiltrates STAR Labs and goes straight to the weapons vault. Before the figure leaves in a portal, the notice on the wall presents us with a date – 5th of April, 2023, which suggests the date the DOE approved the building.

In the present, Barry is preparing for the arrival of his daughter Nora, painting the crib, and buying tons of cookie dough ice cream. Iris reminds Barry that there are at least seven more months before she gives birth to Nora, but Barry doesn’t relent and says he wants to be prepared. After Iris gives him a copy of an old magazine featuring his father, Barry decides to go to STAR Labs to welcome the mold inspectors so that he can bring his daughter to the lab when she’s born.

At STAR Labs, Chester and Khione try to calm Khione down because Caitlin Snow’s mother, Carla, wants to meet her. After calming their teammate, Barry sends Chester home, saying he will handle inspectors himself.

What Barry doesn’t expect is a whole team of people coming and inspecting his Lab, including DOE. Barry is overwhelmed, but Iris arrives willing to help her husband. The inspectors are relentless, and Barry and Iris try their best not to reveal too much about Team Flash – they have much to hide.

Firstly, Barry leads the inspectors to the speed lab, and when he decides to move them to another room, something strange happens – they are again in the speed lab.

Something strange is happening in STAR Labs

Barry and Iris are confused and try to calm the inspectors down, reassuring them that they always get lost in their own Lab. Of course, the lead inspector is far from amused, and when West-Allen moves to another room, they realize something is extremely wrong with the STAR Labs.

The 19th Century clock is a dead giveaway that something isn’t right with the speed lab, and inspectors are on edge. To keep the situation calm, Iris tries to stall the inspectors saying that they are joking and doing a prank, while Barry goes to the future to see what is going on.

At Cecile’s house, Chester and Allegra are playing Scrabble, and while sharing his adoration for his girlfriend, Chester blurts out that he loves her. Allegra is instantly awkward, and when Cecile returns home, she makes everyone play another game while the older woman sees the couple stressed out.

Meanwhile, Iris still tries to stall the inspectors while Barry is in the future, but the blue wave comes through the room, and Iris is dressed differently. While inspectors try to figure out what is happening, Barry arrives from the future with Star Trek clothes, prompting everyone’s change clothes.

Unfortunately, Barry and Iris cannot hide the nature of the situation and reveal that Barry is indeed Flash. The lead inspector passes out while others try to discover what is happening.

One of the inspectors, Jane, shows off her math and physics knowledge and tells everyone that time seemingly lost elasticity for them, also known as the time magnet.

In 2123, the current speed lab is a weapons vault that stores a time magnet stolen in the future. From the beginning of the episode, the mysterious figure forgot the device’s stabilizer, causing problems with time. Of course, the group realizes that the time thief is among them, which prompts Iris to scan everyone for a high degree of radiation to see who the perpetrator is.

During the scan, the lead and argumentative inspector panics and turns into a statue – the man is dead, and the rest of the group is next.

Lady Chronos reveals herself as a time thief, and Iris struggles with her life

After some team members accuse Iris of being an intruder, Barry calms everyone down and goes to talk with Iris. The couple realizes they are in a dangerous situation, and Iris shares her fears of living in the past. She mentions her freedom in the past while Barry is racing to the future.

Iris also mentions that she feels like she cannot do things she wants while pregnant. Of course, in the usual Flash style, the heartfelt conversation triggers an idea in Barry who the time thief really is.

Iris and Barry devise a plan to trick the potential perpetrator and succeed by using a plumbing term, revealing that the electrician in the group is actually a time thief.

The woman reveals herself as Lady Chronos and turns the last two inspectors into gnomes. At the West household, Cecile talks with Allegra after the awkward atmosphere that leads to Chester leaving. Allegra says that Chester loves her and that she loves him back, but she’s afraid that he will abandon her like everyone else did, in one way or another.

Cecile comforts Allegra by telling her to enjoy the journey and that everything will be fine.

Barry and Iris save the day

At the STAR Labs, Lady Chronos wants Barry and Iris to get her out of the room to continue her journey but refuses to hand over the time magnet.

She explains her plan and how she ended up in the present with Barry and Iris but reveals that she cannot go back because her time belt doesn’t work and it needs charging.

Of course, in true villain style, Chronos doesn’t listen to suggestions of the Flash and Iris on how to fix this, but Barry decides to make a deal – he will charge Chronos’ time belt with his speed force, and she will go back in future and leave the time magnet where she found it. Lady Chronos reluctantly agrees after realizing she will eventually die like the inspectors and decides to accept Barry’s offer.

She leaves in the time portal while Iris and Barry wait until everything returns to normal – Iris and Barry are in regular clothes while inspectors are saved from imminent death. However, the lead inspector is relentless and proceeds with the mold inspection after reassuring Barry his secret identity is safe with them.

Afterward, Barry and Iris talk with Khione, who tells the couple everything went well with Carla, while the inspectors pass STAR Labs as safe from mold. Allegra finds Chester and returns his feelings while Iris and Barry eat ice cream together.

This episode was entertaining, especially with Barry and Iris working together to deal with overbearing mold inspectors. The dynamic between Candace Patton and Grant Gustin is always great to see in The Flash, and seeing Iris open up to Barry about her fears and struggles is refreshing. 

In this episode, the supporting cast was less interesting, with Khione having an off-screen meeting with Caitlin Snow’s mother, Carla, which was, in my opinion, missed opportunity. We could at least see that dynamic on the screen than just mention the encounter in the passing. Allegra and Chester’s relationship is okay but not very interesting to me, but at least we saw their storyline progress on the screen. 

Nevertheless, the recent Flash trailer for episode nine, titled “It’s My Party, and I’ll Die If I Want To,” and interestingly enough, we will see Danielle Panabaker as director of the episode and Oliver Queen coming back to Arrowverse. The episode will air next week, and we will bring our analysis.